


Magic on the Mountain

by fandomfairytales



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Enchanted Forest, Alternate Universe - No Curse, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Misthaven, Pining, Pirate Captain Hook | Killian Jones, Princess Emma Swan, Reconciliation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-13 22:34:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9145222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomfairytales/pseuds/fandomfairytales
Summary: Princess Emma prays that Killian will return to her safely and will still feel the same despite the passage of time since he left on his most recent voyage. With many failed attempts at contacting him she fears she will never have the chance to put things right.





	1. Mist Mountain

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by a small mountain near my hometown that overlooks a river mouth and a little harbour with a wonderfully expansive view of the local coastline 
> 
> lots of yearning and some feels, but has a happy and fluffy ending

Emma looked down over Misthaven from the top of Mist Mountain: She came to the summit every day as it was the best place to watch the ships coming and going from the harbour. On a clear day the white sails of ships were visible miles away from the harbour, stark white against the deep blue of the ocean and every day Emma would watch vigilantly.

 

Emma paid little mind to the ships that were setting sail, concerning herself more with the ships arriving, anticipating the sight of one ship in particular. She was looking for a rather renowned ship, with an even more infamous Captain. She saw the Jolly Roger on the horizon that Hook would be home and in her arms again. But she knew things would not be so simple when he did return, and felt a pang of guilt remembering the agony she had caused him. 

 

She cared for Killian (Captain Hook as he was better known) immensely; more than anyone before… and yet before he was to depart on his next voyage, she had pushed him away and put up her walls for doubts he could not give up his ways and fears her position as princess of Misthaven would not allow her to marry below her station. 

 

She decided to protect her heart and end things before her feelings deepened further. 

 

This had hurt Killian more than she could ever have anticipated and before she realized her true feelings and the mistake she had made; he had left. 

 

She had tried to contact him, she sent dove after dove to his ship carrying letters expressing her sorrow and love but each dove retuned with her letter still bound to its leg.

 

In the depths of her guilt and despair she decided one day to ride up the mountain to be alone with her feelings, wishing to be away from the hustle of the palace. Arriving at the summit she had realized the mountain served a second purpose, somewhat alleviating the pain she was feeling. Being able to watch the sea made her feel closer to Killian despite his being on the other side of the realm, so she had made the journey every day since. 

 

Each day she returned to the palace after a day on the mountain top, her heart broke a little more. Sometimes she would think she had spotted the Jolly and would rush to the docks with hope in her heart, only to be dismayed when she was wrong.

 

Months passed in the blink of an eye, each day she would travel to the mountain and each day she would be disappointed. 

 

Seasons changed while he was away and the mountain became more treacherous when the snows came, forcing her to keep watch from the palace. 

 

Finally, the ice began to melt and the first of the spring flowers began to peek through the remaining patches of snow. Emma had always loved spring, but this year she felt little joy. The winter had been harsh and the sea constantly rough and tumultuous. She worried for the safety of her pirate and prayed every day for his homecoming, and every day he did not return her anxiety grew; just like the spring blossoms.

 

Despite her waning hope, she still rode her horse Moira up the mountain every morning. 

 

It had been six months and eleven days since Killian had set sail and her feelings for him had only grown stronger during their separation. She dreaded the notion of never being able to tell him how much she loved him and how sorry she was for breaking his heart. She also dreaded the thought that perhaps in the time since, he had found someone else, but wouldn’t allow herself to continue that thought any further, refusing to believe fate could be so cruel.

******************

 

Spring became summer and Killian had been away seven months and three days. Emma still had not given up on him. 

 

Her parents had become concerned about her daily disappearances months ago but now were threatening to confine her to the palace if she continued to keep the truth about her travels secret. 

 

When they acted on their threat a few weeks later, Emma found ways to escape the palace each and every day. After being caught retuning one day by Grumpy; the guard tasked with guarding her room, she explained her reasons for escaping and after hearing her tale he decided to help her. Each and every day he would escort Emma to the gate for ‘a stretch of the legs’ and she would slip away through a hidden door, her horse saddled and waiting on the other side and her parents none the wiser.


	2. Swan Dive

Eight months and twenty-six days had passed; But today felt different, there was something electric in the air that Emma couldn’t put her finger on… perhaps magic?

The sun was just beginning to set on the horizon when Emma noticed sails emerging from the dying glow of the sun. While the ship was not nearly close enough to determine if it was the one she had waited for these long months, she had an inkling that this ship was special and her heart raced with the possibility of it being the Jolly.

 

Emma knew she needed to return to the palace quickly to avoid being caught but she could not ignore her instincts. She knew how much trouble she would be in for disobeying her parents, gods they would be furious and Grumpy would eventually confess. Despite her growing anxiety, she had to go and make sure, her curiosity would only keep her awake anyway.

 

Darkness washed over the land and the trees became looming silhouettes as Emma made her way back down the mountain, she knew the trails well and carefully navigated her way through the thick forest. She rode hard to reach the road to the docks but hesitated for a moment when she passed the way home, knowing that by now her parents would have been informed she was missing. 

 

She pulled the hood of her cloak over her face and rode on for the docks, hoping that it would be enough to disguise her from any guards she may encounter. The closer she got to the docks the faster her heart raced, she tried to focus on slowing it down but her thoughts continued to turn to the ship and Killian and she knew she had no hope of calming herself. 

 

Finally, the harbourmaster’s cabin came within sight and she pulled Moira’s reins, knowing she needed to tether her away from the crowd as Moira spooked easily. Emma dismounted gracefully as she could in her haste and walked towards the wharves scanning the moorings for the Jolly. 

 

Her eyes flicked across the names of the many beautiful ships, some were royal navy, others cargo. The place was alive with laughter and music flowing from the nearby taverns and the buzz of idle chatter was thick in the air. 

 

Emma continued her search but the longer it went on the more her heart filled with consternation. She reached the end of the dock and looked out over the sea having felt false hope yet again, tears spilled onto her cheeks, dried quickly by the sea breeze. 

 

The ship she had seen earlier was named ‘The Mystery’ and she had double checked all the others; She realized in her search she had just about forgotten what the Jolly had really looked like, simply due to her heavy reliance on the names of each ship. 

 

Feeling crushed, Emma couldn’t bring herself to move. She stood at the edge of the dock for hours; not caring if a guard found her or anyone else, eventually She grew so tired she had to sit down, and there she remained into the small hours of the night looking up at the stars, wishing to be free of the torment days like this gave her. 

 

It was just before dawn; the sky had lightened but the constellations were still shining brightly above. Emma had sat on the dock all night wishing she would never have to go through a night like this again. She wasn’t a little girl anymore, but it was all she could do besides give up. 

 

The sun began to peek through the clouds that had gathered in the night, turning the sky shades of lavender and gold. Watching the sunrise Emma found the strength within to make the decision to go home. She stood, turned on her heel and slowly made her way back to where she had left Moira. 

 

She kept her head down as she walked, looking at the wooden planks of the wharf, hoping that no one would notice her reluctant tears; but she couldn’t resist taking one last look out at the sea while she readied her horse. 

 

Looking over her shoulder, squinting in the early morning light she focused on the entrance to the harbour and was stunned to see the silhouette of a ship. 

 

Her head told her to leave the docks and go home. So what if another ship was arriving? Why go through all the torment of it not being the one she hoped for? Why stay, only to have her world shatter over again?

 

But…Her heart told her to give the possibility of the ship being the Jolly Roger a chance. Emma was torn between pain and relief and she didn’t know which choice would result in which. So she resolved to remain exactly where she was: Not at home trying to forget the agony in her heart, not at the mountain waiting, not at the end of the dock hoping to not be disappointed, where she stood was neutral. 

 

She watched the ship near its mooring, moving painfully slow as if to torture her more. The sailors aboard scurried to ready the ship, clearly glad to be close to land. Emma watched the the activity on deck for a while but her heart stopped cold when she saw the crew stand at attention when their captain emerged from his cabin. 

 

Even from afar she knew it was him, his posture, the way he walked across the deck and then the glint of sunlight off the hook that took the place of his left hand. 

 

Despite all her logic and internal argument, Emma began to sprint towards the ship. She could not stand be be apart from him another moment. While she ran she removed her cloak and quickly stopped to take off her riding boots, when she reached the end she dove off the dock into the sea and swam for the ship. 

 

Her actions were met with screams from onlookers but she didn’t care, she was single- minded in her quest. The commotion on the shore had been loud enough to alert the crew aboard the Jolly something interesting had occurred and Killian made his way through the crew to see what was going on. 

 

Looking down into the inky waters, he saw a tangled mess of golden hair a way away from the ship. Realizing it was a girl and that she may be in peril, he shed anything that would drag him down and dove in much to the protest of the crew. His final order was for them to drop one of the long boats and row like hell. He may be a pirate but he would certainly not allow this girl to drown; it would be incredibly bad form. But he knew that if she were in danger he would reach her faster than the boat.

 

Emma was still quite far from the Jolly, but she pressed on. She wasn’t struggling at all; her determination drove her onwards. She hadn’t seen Killian dive in to rescue the anonymous ‘damsel’ who had decided to take a swan dive off the dock; she was far too focused on reaching him. 

 

Wiping the briny water from his eyes, Killian looked around for the girl and when he spotted her he realized that his valiant attempt at a rescue would be rather futile. The mystery girl from this vantage point was clearly not in any trouble and was actually swimming towards his ship, which he considered rather odd. He decided that despite not being able to rescue her he may as well accompany her; seeing as he was already overboard, so he made his way toward her. 

 

They were not two ships in the night, the two of them were magnetic, seeking the other. Killian had no idea the girl swimming toward him was Emma, he couldn’t make out the girl’s features through the sea spray and mist. Emma simply had no idea he was so incredibly close, and getting closer every moment. 

 

Neither of them was paying attention to the other until the moment they collided. Now treading water. Killian quickly apologised realising that he had startled the girl, and she huffed with annoyance (directed at him and at the tangle of wet hair that had become stuck to her face). 

 

Realising the battle with her wet hair was not going in her favour, Emma ducked her head under the water using the weightlessness to brush her hair back off her face. She came back up and quickly wiped the salt water from her eyes but before she could open them and begin chastising the fool who had come to save her he spoke. 

It was only one word. Her name. 

“Emma?”


	3. Absolution

Her eyes flew open and she was filled with unimaginable joy, she could never forget the sound of Killian's voice, it made her feel like she would melt. She looked at him for the first time in what felt like an eternity and savoured every detail of his face. 

Killian was in utter disbelief. He was completely stunned to see Emma, of all people, here and very clearly overjoyed to see him considering how they had parted. Questions burned in his eyes but all he could do was smile. She tended to have that effect on him. 

 

“Killian I’ve missed you!”

 

At that moment Emma forgot herself, forgot where she was and wrapped herself around Killian, pressing her lips to his fervently, he returned her ardour and it was only when they sank a little that they broke apart trying to stay afloat, the Jolly’s longboat having come into view. 

 

Killian could have been knocked over with a feather; She had missed him… After every hurtful thing she had said the day he had set sail, she had missed him… She dived off the bloody dock to get to him and then there was that kiss... Gods he didn’t know what to say or do. He simply stared at her in awe hoping she would break the silence. ‘

 

Noticing that he was waiting for her to say something, Emma took her chance to tell him everything she had wished to from the moment he had left eight months and twenty-seven days ago. 

 

“Killian, I'm so sorry, I’ve waited all this time to tell you how sorry I am, and to tell you how much I love you. I never should have said what I did, I was scared and unsure and I made the biggest mistake of my life… it didn’t take long for me to realise how little I cared about who you are or what anyone else could do to tear us apart, I sent letter after letter and every time they came back to me my heart broke a little more…”

 

She trailed off; tears started to stream down her face, dripping into the sea. She couldn’t hold them back, simply because she had needed to say this for so long and had thought she would never have the chance. But he was here and the only thing that could break her now would be rejection. 

 

Before Killian could respond, Emma was lifted away from him, up into the longboat and he followed shortly after, hauled in by his ever dependable crew. 

 

They sat in silence while the crew rowed them back to the Jolly, not wanting to continue their conversation with so many eager ears present. 

Back aboard his ship Emma followed Killian to his cabin, he was still trying to make sense of her confession and come up with a way to respond. He sat down at his desk and pinched the bridge of his nose, Emma sat on his bunk looking at him expectantly, behind her calm expression he could see she was tormented not knowing how he was going to respond. 

 

So he began telling her about what had happened the long months he had been at sea. 

 

She was livid when Killian told her that he had seen every letter she had sent and returned them unanswered, he presented her with copies he had made of each one, kept safe in a drawer because he ‘needed her words to stay strong’. But when he explained that he had thought she would be better off without him her anger slipped away, replaced with dejection. 

 

Her letters had been clear that she didn’t care about obstacles and yet he had decided to let her go; hoping that she would find happiness without him. He didn’t believe that a pirate could ever be good enough for a princess and that she deserved better than him. 

 

Even though his words hurt her deeply she understood his reasons, But he was clearly avoiding discussing what was to happen now.

 

They sat in awkward silence for a few moments before Killian spoke: 

 

“I planned to come and see you once I was ashore you know? I hadn’t decided if I was going to follow through but I figured I had to see you one last time, I needed to see if you had let me go… and if you had I would have left you alone. If not, well I don’t know what I would have done…”

 

Emma felt the truth behind his words and though she really was not the crying type (despite the amount of it she had done recently) she felt her eyes sting and frustration rise in her throat. 

 

“I haven’t moved on, and I never would have you idiot” she hissed

 

“Every day I’ve suffered… you got my letters and never thought to put me out of my sorrow…”

“I was so miserable I rode up the god damned mountain every day, praying I would see your ship returning so I could tell you how I felt. Then when winter arrived I spent my days in the highest tower of the palace watching the sea, my heart filled with dread every time clouds gathered.”

 

“There were days I was sure I had seen the Jolly off the coast and my heart would fill with hope… Every time it wasn’t you it felt like I was drowning.

 

“I came so close to giving up and resigning myself to trying to forget you but I couldn’t ever bring myself to do it…” she choked on her words, tears trailing down her cheeks

 

“I might have hurt you, but don’t you dare think your excuses make me feel any better.”

 

Killian was visibly wounded by her words; drenched with ire. He realised that while she had broken his heart and caused him his fair share of grief, what he had done was far worse… 

 

She had ‘suffered’, he had never meant to cause her that much pain… He thought if he never responded she would move on, but in reality he had left her in limbo for months which was a fate he himself would not have wished on anyone. 

 

Seeing her like this, so vulnerable; asking him if he still felt for her as she did, he realised how much she was trusting him to be a better man. From the moment they had met she had trusted him, but she wasn’t sure if he would live up to her expectations; thus she pushed him away and he knew deep down she was right to do so… but now she was here, telling him she was sorry and didn’t care about his past or present as a pirate; that she just wanted him no matter what. Of course her love was not unrequited.

 

How could he even consider failing her again, to see disappointment in her eyes would have killed him; he wanted her more than anything and he should have fought for her; he knew in his heart he loved her and needed her more than air itself, but could he ask her forgiveness for everything he had done, did he deserve her absolution? 

 

All these thoughts and things that he could say, but none of them seemed to be right. So he simply decided to say nothing. He rose from his desk and walked to his bunk, sitting next to Emma. She was still trying to hold back her emotions and the only thing he felt was right to do was comfort her. wrapping his arms around her shoulders he practically felt the weight of the world leave her shoulders as she relaxed at his touch. 

 

“I don’t want to give you some meaningless apology Emma, what I did was wrong but I thought at the time it was the right thing. I never meant to cause you sorrow… there is no fitting punishment for causing you to shed even a single tear.”

 

Still leaning against him he held her even tighter. 

 

“I love you Emma.” 

 

Despite being almost a whisper, his statement carried so much conviction Emma didn’t need to ask if he really meant it. Everything that had happened was in the past, all she cared about was being with Killian. And she knew he felt the same.


	4. Home and the High Seas

In the four months following Killian’s return so much had happened; they had reconciled quickly and from there practically every hour she had free was spent with him. 

 

Killian had brought her back to the palace after their little swim in the harbour and her worried parents lectured her for what seemed like hours (forcing her to sit by the fire so she wouldn’t catch her death… As if she were some delicate little thing). Killian stood smirking in the background the entire time. When she finally managed to get a word in and explain herself, her parents showered her with understanding and apologies, each remembering how it felt being separated from the person they loved. 

 

Emma was shocked when they had accepted Killian with open arms, treating him like part of their family. They knew who he was and yet they chose to see the best in him, as Emma had when they had met. 

 

For Killian, King David and Queen Snow’s welcome had filled some long ignored void he had deep within; It had something to do with his longing to be part of a family, having lost his own long ago. With her parent’s acceptance also came relief (for both of them) that they would not be separated by status, or law, or anything else fate had to throw at them for that matter. Though her father did take a while to warm up to him, that was to be expected (he was after all a rapscallion and a devilishly handsome pirate). Eventually after spending some time together and saving each other’s lives once or twice, they had become quite good friends.

 

It was because of all this, Killian decided to leave his pirating days behind him. He had no idea what to do with himself but it was worth it if it helped build trust between himself, Emma and her parents. It was probably best if he didn’t break too many laws considering they had pardoned he and his crew (and he certainly didn’t want to let anyone down).

 

Emma was glad when Killian told her of the decision he had made to give up being a pirate. She knew it meant he was ready to settle down: but she also knew how hard it would be for him to give up what he had spent the last 200 years or so doing and even harder for him to give up his love for the sea. She didn’t want to change everything about him, after all she fell in love with all of him, why mould him into someone he wasn’t and destroy his character. 

 

She was determined to make sure that he could have things both ways; a sense of home but also a dash of adventure on the high seas (minus the treason). So after speaking with her parents, she planned to surprise Killian on tomorrows ride with her plan to split the year in two; Spring and Summer on the Jolly Roger, Autumn and Winter at the palace.

 

Killian stood at the gates, feeling anxious and out of sorts. The palace gate began to open and he made his way to the stables where Emma had promised to meet him. 

 

As he walked, He slipped his hand into his pocket making sure his brother’s ring was still there; feeling the cold silver band put his mind at ease. 

 

Liam had given it to him before he left for Arendelle on a mission long ago. Neither of them knew that they would never see each other again. Liam had been tasked with saving the reigning Queen, Elsa from the usurper Prince Hans and having fallen in love with the queen had decided to stay. 

 

However, Killian’s path led him to Neverland… His youth preserved for nigh on two hundred years by the magic of the island. By the time he returned, his brother’s descendants ruled Arendelle… Liam and Elsa having ruled well until their eventual deaths. 

It was a depressing tale, but Killian was glad he had a piece of his family’s history to share with Emma. 

 

A week ago he had met with her father to ask for Emma’s hand and David was more than happy to give his blessing. Killian’s anxiety peaked thinking about what he planned to ask her and the possibilities that stemmed from it. She was his future and he wanted to give her the world if he could.

 

Emma’s face lit up when she saw him enter the stables, there were two horses saddled in preparation for their ride and Emma finally told Killian where she had planned for them to go. He smiled realising that she had (quite by accident) picked the perfect place for his plans. 

 

The day was perfect for a trip up Mist Mountain. They took it slow, no need to rush as Emma had done on her in numerous trips to the peak. Chatting along the way she noted he seemed to be acting rather odd but put it down to his rusty riding skills. 

 

They spoke of unimportant things, like the upcoming winter masquerade ball; teasing each other about the costumes they planned to wear. Emma would be attending as a swan and it had become a playful nickname that stuck. Killian hadn’t decided on his attire yet, though Emma had a feeling he would end up going as himself; after all who better to attend a masquerade as a pirate than Captain Hook himself. 

 

Eventually they reached the quiet summit and Emma showed him the clearing where she had spent so many days waiting for him. Laying down the the grass watching the clouds roll by, they shifted to sit side by side, Emma resting her head on his shoulder. She had almost forgotten how beautiful the view of the harbour was and she became lost in her thoughts for a little while. 

 

Killian was enjoying a different view (though the scenery was lovely, his swan was far more intriguing to look at), he quietly observed Emma; curled against him, they shared their warmth not feeling the chill of the altitude. Every now and then he would catch the cinnamon scent of her golden hair; it was intoxicating, better than any rum. 

 

He loved the fact that with her there was no need for idle prattle, they could discuss any and everything, but occasionally preferred to just enjoy being together, not saying anything. At this particular time, he was even more appreciative as it provided the opportunity to muster the courage to ask Emma for her hand. 

 

It had taken most of the ride up, but now he felt like he had better say what he needed to before he lost his nerve. He was no coward, but who wouldn’t be nervous he thought; even David had been nervous when he had asked Snow White to marry him. 

 

Killian decided he wouldn’t kneel, he didn’t want to make his intention obvious, but also did not want to disturb the comfort they shared. So he gave her a slight nudge and she looked up at him with her emerald eyes expectantly.

 

“Emma love, there’s something I’d like to say to you… sort of a confession…”

 

“…Darling, I’ve loved you from the first moment we collided that day on the docks. In all my years I’d never felt so connected to another person, you were as lost as I was and I was powerless to defend myself against you. While love has never been something I thought I deserved, being with you has given me more hope than I ever could have imagined.”

 

Emma went to interject, to tell him everyone deserved love but Killian requested her to remain silent and let him finish, so she held her tongue.

 

“you opened your heart to me and I never looked back.” He continued.

 

I guess…What I'm trying to say is… I want nothing more than to spend every day of my life with you, so… Emma… would you do me the great honour of marrying me?”

 

She sat for a moment in disbelief. had he really said what she thought he had? Her mind and heart raced; love, hesitation, admiration, excitement, elation… so many different emotions layered one on top of the other in the split second before she replied;

 

“yes.”

********************************** 

 

Emma and Killian returned to the palace later that evening, revelling in their engagement, allowing the feeling of mutual bliss to wash over them (he particularly liked catching sight of Liam’s ring on her finger, it suited her perfectly). 

 

He smiled to himself thinking about the moment he had presented the ring to her at the mountain… She had pushed his hand away, grabbing his lapels and pulling him in for a rather passionate kiss. Eventually he did manage to slip it on her finger but he was incredibly glad that he had been her priority. 

 

On their journey back to the palace, Emma informed Killian of her plans to spend half of the year at sea with him: explaining that she didn’t want to force him to give up what he loved for her. Killian couldn’t believe that she could be so wonderful and understanding and he was thrilled that her plans did not mean they would be apart, that she would be right there beside him. 

 

Emma also admitted that she didn’t want a long engagement; she wanted to marry him as soon as humanely possible and he was more than happy to oblige. Unfortunately, elopement wasn’t an option as her mother would never forgive either of them for depriving her the chance to plan a wedding.

 

But Killian was content with the fact Emma didn’t want to wait.

 

reaching the palace around sundown, Emma immediately sought out her parents to tell them the happy news. They were naturally overjoyed.

 

Emma explained that she and Killian were eager to wed as soon as possible and her parents came up with the inspired idea to make the winter ball their wedding reception. After all; The guests were already invited, the preparations made: 

 

It was perfect… Right down to the fact that Emma’s swan costume was white meaning it would be perfect for both the wedding and the masquerade: 

 

and even better yet, it was only a month away.


	5. Epilogue : The Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fairytale ending with a dash of cuteness and wedding nerves 
> 
> hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as i enjoyed writing it

Emma sat at the dresser in her chamber; she was nervous, so attempting to distract herself she set about fiddling with her hair. 

 

It wouldn’t be long before her parents would arrive to take her to the ballroom where the ceremony was taking place. Thinking about Killian waiting for her at the end of the aisle calmed her somewhat. She was sure of him, but her nerves stemmed from the crowd she knew was there watching, waiting for her. 

 

She had wanted a small wedding but her mother had insisted the kingdom be invited to the entire celebration, so to avoid an argument, Emma compromised. 

 

Sooner than expected there was a soft knock on her door. It opened slightly and her mother’s beaming face peeked in. 

 

“sweetie its time…” she whispered excitedly

 

Her father was just a way down the corridor and both he and her mother escorted her to the large carved doors of the ballroom. She took a deep breath and a moment later the doors opened. 

 

She didn’t want to focus on the crowd and feeling her unease growing she held tighter to her parents, who had decided they would both walk their daughter down the aisle. thankfully her eyes met Killian's loving gaze and she felt at ease looking into their blue depths… just like the sea.

 

Gods the aisle was long Emma thought. She hated the fact that she couldn’t just hitch up her dress and run down it… No, she had to keep time with her parents and the music, but then as if he knew what she was thinking, the slightest smirk crossed his expression as if it were meant for her and she decided she didn’t care what anyone else thought. This was her day and she wasn’t going to wait any longer. She shot her parents an apologetic look, ignored the audible gasps of their guests, swept up enough of her skirt that she wouldn’t trip and ran down the aisle, flinging herself into his arms with a smile.

 

It reminded her of her dive off the dock all those months ago, only this time he had caught her. 

 

The ceremony went by in a blur, they spoke their vows, said I do but it was the kiss they had been waiting for and when it was finally time it was so perfect that it was magic… 

 

After the ceremony, Emma and Killian slipped away for some peace and quiet. Emma laughed when Killian said she must have read his mind when she ran down the aisle, ‘always the free spirit… knows what she wants and will do anything to have it’ he had teased with that playful smirk she loved. 

 

It soon came time for the reception and the newlyweds left their hiding place in the gardens and slipped back in, their absence unnoticed and their attire modified for the masquerade. the guests in their disguises were somewhat harder to identify when offering their congratulations; but Emma and Killian certainly stood out; 

 

Her wedding dress was now adorned with feathered wings and entwined into her hairstyle was a delicate feathered crown (studded with diamonds) that mimicked a swan.

 

She was stunning and he had to keep himself from staring (but remembering that she was of course his wife he stared anyway). 

 

He on the other hand had decided that perhaps it was best to dress more formally for the occasion than his original idea (he had indeed planned to attend as himself). Emma thought he looked incredibly handsome in formal attire, though later on she admitted that she preferred him dressed as a pirate, because ‘at least he looked more like himself’. 

 

The ball continued until dawn, revellers still dancing into the early morning not even noticing that the first snows of winter had begun to fall. Growing tired of the constant attention, Killian hunted down two winter cloaks and blankets and suggested they go for another wander through the gardens, before retiring.

 

Their hands entwined, they walked at an easy pace stopping only to admire the snowdrops growing, despite the cold. 

 

Emma bent to pick one of the pristine white blooms growing out of the glittering snow.

 

“Did you know that snowdrops can survive even the harshest winters?” she asked.

 

“They thrive in the cold, when just about any other plant would shrivel and die… my mother told me that when I was little, but I never understood what she really meant by it;” 

 

“At the time I thought it was to do with her name… but now I realise it was a lesson to not give up when hope seems lost… I think our time apart was much like winter, we lost our hope, lost each other; but instead of wilting and dying, we came to blossom and thrive.” 

 

She placed the delicate flower in his hand and stretched up to place a chaste kiss on his cheek.

 

Feeling the cold, the pair made their way back to the warmth of their chamber and collapsed with exhaustion. Emma’s thoughts once again turned to the days spent waiting for Killian to return and he instinctively pulled her closer. She felt so secure in his arms she never wanted it to end.

 

And she realised that from that day forward they would never be truly separated again...

 

…They would always find each other.

 

The end.


End file.
